Wendelin Van Draanen Launches new Book on Writing

HOPE IS IN THE MAIL– REFLECTIONS ON WRITING & LIFE

WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN

Chaucer’s Books is delighted to welcome award-winning author Wendelin Van Draanen as she launches her new book, part writing guide and part memoir for YA readers and writers, entitled Hope is in the Mail– Reflections on Writing & Life.

Van Draanen didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer, but thirty books later, she’s convinced that writing saved her life. Or, at least, saved her from a life of bitterness and despair. Writing helped her sort out what she thought and felt and wanted. And digging deep into fictional characters helped her understand the real people in her life better as well.

Wendelin shares what she’s learned–about writing, life, and what it takes to live the writing life. This book is packed with practical advice on the craft: about how to create characters and plot a story that’s exciting to read. But maybe even more helpful is the insight she provides into the persistence, and perseverance, it takes to live a productive, creative life. And she answers the age-old question Where do you get your ideas? by revealing how events in her own life became the seeds of her best-loved novels.

“Van Draanen may not be the first to offer a writing guide for young people, but this book is one of the best.” —Booklist, Starred Review

“Van Draanen’s voice is charmingly no-nonsense, and the themes she explores are sure to benefit aspiring writers of many ages. Thoughtful and entertaining.” —Kirkus Reviews

Wendelin Van Draanen was a classroom teacher for many years before turning to writing full-time. Her first Sammy Keyes mystery, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, won the coveted Edgar Award. She is also the author of many beloved stand-alone novels, including Flipped, The Running Dream, Wild Bird, and The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones. She lives in Central California with her husband.